This novel, along with a slew of quirky characters, captures the rich look of pre-Katrina, New Orleans. This is a stunning story of a serial killer loose among the city's self-help groups. The tradition of anonymity gives the predator good cover and their neediness makes "12 steppers" easy prey. The "girl" detective Skip, is a interesting and like-able southern character and you will want to read more of the Skip Langdon series. A well-researched, with psychological insights thriller!

For dective Skip Langdon, cheated of a romatic vacation by the killing of Linda Lee Stricklan, the case is a bummer. Yet as she treatds her fascinated way from one self-help group to another, she finds she has more in common with the twelve-steppers then just the murder. And she knows what they do not; that among their anonymous numbers is a deadly dangerous, and dangerously attractive psychopath.